This disclosure broadly relates to the field of determining levels of exposure of an individual to ultraviolet light, and more particularly to the field of analyzing social media data to determine such levels of exposure.
Skin cancer is a cancer that forms in the tissues of the skin when skin cells are damaged, including by overexposure to ultraviolet light from the sun. There are three main types of skin cancer, named after the type of skin cell from which they arise: melanoma, which forms in melanocytes, the skin cells that make pigment; basal cell carcinoma, which forms in the lower part of the epidermis, the outer layer of the skin; and squamous cell carcinoma, which forms in squamous cells, the flat cells that form the surface of the skin. Of these three, melanoma is the least common skin cancer, but also is the most aggressive, the most likely to spread and, if left untreated, fatal. Sun exposure is a significant risk factor for all three types of skin cancer. There are many other risk factors, including personal and family histories; skin and hair color; and even eye color. Other risk factors include moles and immune system strength.
Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers, accounting for nearly half of all cancers in the United States; more than 3.5 million skin cancers are diagnosed annually in more than 2 million people, with melanoma accounting for more than 75,000 cases and over 8,500 deaths. About one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime, and about one in 50 Americans will develop melanoma in their lifetime. Skin cancer is also not limited to the elderly: melanoma is the most common form of cancer for young adults 25-29 years old and the second most common form of cancer for adolescents and young adults 15-29 years old. One person dies of melanoma every 57 minutes. Skin cancer also accounts for many billions of dollars in both direct and indirect spending. In the United States, according to the National Cancer Institute, the total direct costs associated with the treatment for non-melanoma skin cancer in 2004 was $1.5 billion, and the estimated total direct cost associated with the treatment of melanoma in 2010 was $2.36 billion.
Exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun can not only result in skin cancer but also can result in changes in skin characteristics such as skin color or tan, freckling, and skin blemishes. Such changes are often recorded in images that may be stored on social media databases or web sites. Such databases are able to accumulate numerous images over an extended period of time. Analysis of an ultraviolet light exposure profile may be beneficial in mitigating harm caused by exposure to ultraviolet light exposure.